Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-18

f1tnse.
BY Mr.. wilkins To allow William Fl.
Ellis To erect q wharf at Franklin, Acco-
mack county.
BY Mr.. .Corbett: To fix the salary Of
tho Judge Of the Corporation Court OF
Alexandra.
BY Mr.. Waddill: To relieve Mrs.
Maria Sampson Throckmorton, Of Henri
co county, of taxes improperly paid by
her.
PEDDLERs.
The bill to amend section 80 OF chap
ter $50 OF Acts of 18S3-'64, in regard to
the tax on peddlers, came up on its third
reading. This bill provides that "for
the privilege of peddling or bartering in
any county or corporation there shall be
paid three hundred dollars for each per-
son or agent so engaged or employed
when he travels on foot, and where he
peddles otherwise than or foot the tax
| paid shall be fve hundred dollars, ex-
cept the tax on peddlers OF lightning
rods, which shall be fifty dollars. Any
person who desires to obtain n license
under this section TO sell throughout the
State may be allowed to do so upon the
payment of one thousand dollars"
Mr.. Pollard, the patron of the bill,
said that its practical object was to elimi-
nate the class known as peddlers, usually
composed OF Russian Jews and other
( foreigners, because they were nuisances
and held doctrines which were dangerous
10 the body polite. and usually held GER
/ tificates that they had "tendered cou-
pons for licenses. In this way they paid
no licenses at all and took away the
business that belonged to the tax-paying
merchants, who, if they make any
money, spend it in our midst.
Mr.. Echols asked if under this bill
farmer who butchered meat of his own
raising and sold it TO his neighbors and
the people Of the towns would be taxed as
peddlers.
Mr.. Pollard said that point was fully
covered in this bill. The farmers were
protected.
Mr.. Anderson, Of Rockbridge, offered
an amendment to provide that nothing
in the bill should be construed so as to
prohibit any farmer from selling his
butchered meat, farm products, and live
stock without license.
The bill was extensively discussed
and eventually recommitted to the Com
mittee on Finance.
FIRST BILL PASSED.
The House bill to extend the time to
put the Code in operation from Febru-
airy to May /, 1888, was taken up and
passed.
-,,,, ,,,.crerrp M, TUT TAND OFFrf,r
The Committee on Officers and Offices
OF the Capitol reported it inexpedient to
abolish the Office Of the Register OF the
Land Office, as suggested in the message
of the Governor.
According TO the committees report
only $50 per annum would be saved by
the change.
Before any action was taken on the
report the following communication was
received from Governor Lee:
COMMONWEALTH OF vIRGINIA,)
GOVERNORS OFFICE
RICHMOND, Va, December II, 1887. J
| To the Legislature:
In my recent mess ge / recommended that the
offIce of the Register of the Land ONCE be abol-
ished in order 70 save the state the expense OF
useless Office, and that the books and records be
turned over 10 the Second Auditors office.
hased such recommendations on the Iact tnat, IN
the opinion Of the Second Auditor given at my
reduestl, no addition 10 the clerical force now in
his office will be necessary after the bulk OF the
funding hos been completed. The following hg-
ures are given:
Present plan
Salary OF Register Of Land ONCE. 800
Seven policemen at SOS per month. 5,460
$500
On the proposed plan
Six policemen at $65 per month. ...."... s46SO
One chief of police and superintendent OF
public buildings at SS5 month. ........ l09O
$500
The expense account Of the State would thus be
ultimately diminished by $50 per annum:
Mr.. Pollard moved TO amend so as
to declare that it is erpedient to do
away with the Office. He thought it
would be economy TO do so. The Gov
ernor had asked that the change be made,
and he hoped it would be made.
Mr.. Cardwell (Mr. Echols in the chair
said it would be false economy to do
away with the office, and the only thing
to be accomplished by it was the transfer
of the appointment OF the Capitol police
from the Register of the Land Office to
the Executive Mansion. Mr.. Cardwell
made as point that if the Second Audi
tors Office could do the work of the Land
Office. then it would be better to do away
with one of the clerks of the Second Au-
ditor's Office. The Land Office was a
very important one, and it should not be
abolished without mature consideration.
Mr.. Moore, of Pulaski, said if there
were idle clerks in the Second Auditor s
Office, retrenchment and reform had best
begin by discharging them instead of
abolishing the Register OF the Land
Office.
MIR. Mayo. Of Westmoreland, remarked
that as there was nc authority under the
Constitution for the Second Auditors
Office, he would suggest that that office
be abolished.
Mr.. Figgat, of Botetourt, was sur
prised at the course the discussion had
taken. he favored the change, and he
did not think that any of the clerks
could be dispensed with in the Second
Auditors office, and yet they would have
enough time to perform the duties of the
Register of the Land Office. From his
statement it appeared that the Capitol
IOQIurC llhu hOb OCSh coeioA"NeSNy ~
Iced.
Mr.. Cardwell expressed surprise that
this charge was brought in this way at
this time, and he challenged investiga-
ton.
Mr.. Figgat made it clear that Colonel
Ruffin had not intruded his opinion, but
only gave il when it was asked by the
Governor, as in duty bound.
Mr.. Cardwell said it would prove q
snare and delusion TO abolish the Office
without making provision for the per-
Torrance OF its important duties. He
believed it would undoubtedly involve
an extra expenditure if the Second Au-
ditor's Office were given the work to do,
| for at the next ssion of the Legislature
very probably an application would be
made TO increase the force.
/ The pending question was called, and
Mr.. Pollard's amendment was rejected
: AYEs.--Messrs Brlstow. Dsngerneld, Flggat
A. W. Harris, Herring, Jones, johnson, Mayo
McCandlish. Montague, A. Moore, Jr., OVERLY
PaT, Perkins, Phillips. Pollard, Quisenberry
Riner, Roane. Treat. aud Wright-21.
Nnra -Masora AlsoaWorfh II M Anderson